Patricia (Pat) Kenworthy Nuckols

Patricia Nuckols (Kenworthy), 100, passed away peacefully Jan17, 2022 at home. She was born to Thomas and Marie Laws Kenworthy of Philadelphia PA and lived in Pennsylvania and Vermont. She was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband, E Marshall Nuckols and son Geoffrey H. Nuckols; her sisters Jane Kenworthy and Chiquita Slocum (Bill) and brother Thomas Kenworthy III (Teke). She is survived lovingly by her step-sons, Robert (Darlene) and William Nuckols (Tuula), 8 grandchildren, great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and her horse, Joe. Pat graduated from Springside School where she was Captain of the varsity field hockey and lacrosse team as well as a member of the varsity baseball team. She was also a member of the Huntington Valley Hunt Club until the 1970s. Following graduation from high school, she was named to the United States Field Hockey Team (USFHA) subsequently becoming Captain of several teams. At the beginning of WWII, she was a volunteer with the American Red Cross Motor Pool. She was later selected to become a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) despite her diminutive stature and graduated pilot training in WASP Class of 44-W-5. She was stationed at Blytheville Army Airfield where she trained Army pilots and flew AT-6s and AT-25s. In 1977, the WASPs were granted veteran status. On March 10, 2010, she and the WASPs were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their service record and for "revolutionary reform in the Armed Force" during World War II. Like many of that era, Pat downplayed her service and said, “All I wanted to do was fly!” As a result of her service in WWII, she was selected as a member of the DoD Joint Civilian Orientation Conference in 1990 sponsored by the Secretary of Defense an visited each branch of the Armed Services for briefings Following the war, she was a flying instructor, continued her USFHA hockey career on global traveling teams, and was a member of the US Women’s National Lacrosse Team. In 1988, she became one of the charter inductees into the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame. She and Marshall owned Dogwood Farm in PA, home to summer camp for her many nieces, nephews and grandchildren filled with horses, dogs, basset hounds, a fox, fun activities and road trips. She moved to Vermont. There, she taught skiing at Bromley for years becoming one of Ski Magazines Top 100 ski instructors, joined the Rusty Blades ice hockey team at age 76 and played into her 80s. She spent many years with friends and family skiing locally in Vermont, in Europe, out west and helicopter skiing in Canada where she earned the milestone number of vertical feet. She was a member of Ekwanok Country Club and won several women’s golf championships. Per request, there will be no service. Donations can be made in her memory to Mountain Valley Health Cente, Ekwanok Country Club Caddies’ Fund, and the Dorset Equine Rescue A celebration of life will be planned at a later date.